Oral care implement having collapsible elastomeric element

Abstract

An oral care implement having a collapsible elastomeric element. The oral care implement may include a body having a handle portion and a head portion. Furthermore, an elastomeric element may extend from the body. The elastomeric element may comprise a hollow body that has an internal cavity, the hollow body having a base section, a middle section, and a distal section that includes a free distal tip, each of the base, middle, and distal sections coupled together by a pre-weakened section. The elastomeric element may be configured to alternate between a collapsed state and a normal state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An oral care implement comprising:
 a body; 
 an elastomeric element extending from the body and terminating in a free distal tip, the elastomeric element comprising a hollow body defining an internal cavity, the hollow body extending along a central axis; 
 the hollow body comprising a base section coupled to the body, a distal section comprising the free distal tip, and at least one middle section located between the base and distal sections; 
 each of the base, middle, and distal sections coupled to one another by a pre-weakened section, the elastomeric element configured to alternate between: (1) a collapsed state in which the middle section collapses into the internal cavity so as to be at least partially surrounded by the base section and the distal section collapses into the internal cavity so as to be at least partially surrounded by the middle section upon the application of an axial force to the free distal tip in a first axial direction toward the body; and (2) a normal state in which the middle section axially extends from the base section and the distal section axially extends from the middle section upon cessation of the axial force; and 
 wherein in the collapsed state, the middle section and the distal section are at least partially located within a bore formed in the body. 
 
     
     
       2. The oral care implement according to  claim 1  wherein the hollow body is an integrally formed singular component. 
     
     
       3. The oral care implement according to  claim 1  wherein the body comprises a handle portion and a head portion, a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head portion of the body, and wherein the elastomeric element is located at a proximal end of the handle portion of the body, the head portion coupled to a distal end of the handle portion of the body. 
     
     
       4. The oral care implement according to  claim 1  wherein the hollow body comprises a conical wall formed of a resilient material. 
     
     
       5. The oral care implement according to  claim 4  further comprising:
 the base section comprising a first annular section of the conical wall, the first annular section of the conical wall having a lower end having a first diameter and an upper end having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter; 
 the middle section comprising a second annular section of the conical wall, the second annular section of the conical wall having a lower end having a third diameter that is less than or equal to the second diameter and an upper end having a fourth diameter that is less than the third diameter; and 
 the distal section comprising a third annular section of the conical wall, the third annular section of the conical wall having a lower end having a fifth diameter that is less than or equal to the fourth diameter and an upper end comprising the free distal tip that has a sixth diameter that is less than fifth diameter. 
 
     
     
       6. The oral care implement according to  claim 5  wherein the upper end of the first annular section of the conical wall is connected to the lower end of the second annular section of the conical wall by a first one of the pre-weakened sections; and wherein the upper end of the second annular section of the conical wall is connected to the lower end of the third annular section of the conical wall by a second one of the pre-weakened sections. 
     
     
       7. The oral care implement according to  claim 6  wherein the first one of the pre-weakened sections comprises a fourth annular section of the conical wall having a reduced thickness compared to each of the first and second annular sections of the conical wall; and wherein the second one of the pre-weakened sections comprises a fifth annular section of the conical wall having a reduced thickness compared to each of the second and third annular sections of the conical wall. 
     
     
       8. The oral care implement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the pre-weakened sections comprise an annular wall section of reduced thickness compared to adjacent sections of the conical wall. 
     
     
       9. The oral care implement according to  claim 4  wherein the conical wall is free of apertures. 
     
     
       10. The oral care implement according to  claim 1  wherein the elastomeric element is self-biased into the normal state. 
     
     
       11. An oral care implement comprising:
 a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion; 
 an elastomeric element extending from the body and terminating in a free distal tip, the elastomeric element comprising a hollow body formed of a resilient material and defining an internal cavity, the hollow body extending along a central axis; 
 the hollow body comprising a base section coupled to the body, a distal section comprising the free distal tip, and at least one middle section located between the base and distal sections; 
 each of the base, middle, and distal sections coupled to one another by a pre-weakened section, the elastomeric element configured to alternate, in response to application and cessation of an axial force, between: (1) a collapsed state in which the middle section collapses into the internal cavity so as to be at least partially surrounded by the base section and the distal section collapses into the internal cavity so as to be at least partially surrounded by the middle section; and (2) a normal state in which the base, middle, and distal sections collectively form a conical structure; and 
 wherein in the collapsed state, the middle section and the distal section are at least partially located within a bore formed in the body. 
 
     
     
       12. The oral care implement according to  claim 11  wherein the hollow body is an integrally formed singular component. 
     
     
       13. The oral care implement according to  claim 11  wherein the elastomeric element is free of apertures. 
     
     
       14. The oral care implement according to  claim 11  further comprising:
 the base section having a lower end having a first diameter and an upper end having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter; 
 the middle section comprising a lower end having a third diameter that is less than or equal to the second diameter and an upper end having a fourth diameter that is less than the third diameter; and 
 the distal section comprising a lower end having a fifth diameter that is less than or equal to the fourth diameter and an upper end comprising the free distal tip that has a sixth diameter that is less than fifth diameter. 
 
     
     
       15. An oral care implement comprising:
 a body; 
 an elastomeric element extending from the body and terminating in a free distal tip, the elastomeric element comprising a hollow body formed of a resilient material and defining an internal cavity, the hollow body extending along a central axis; 
 the hollow body comprising a base section coupled to the body, a distal section comprising the free distal tip, and at least one middle section located between the base and distal sections; 
 each of the base, middle, and distal sections coupled to one another by a pre-weakened section, the elastomeric element configured to alternate between: (1) a collapsed state in which the middle section collapses into the internal cavity so as to be at least partially surrounded by the base section and the distal section collapses into the internal cavity so as to be at least partially surrounded by the middle section; and (2) a normal state in which the base, middle, and distal sections collectively form a conical structure; and 
 wherein in the collapsed state, the middle section and the distal section are at least partially located within a bore formed in the body. 
 
     
     
       16. The oral care implement according to  claim 15  wherein when the elastomeric element is in the normal state, the elastomeric element remains in the normal state until an axial force is applied to the elastomeric element in a first axial direction, and wherein when the elastomeric element is in the collapsed state, the elastomeric element remains in the collapsed state until an axial force is applied to the elastomeric element in a second axial direction, the first axial direction being opposite the second axial direction. 
     
     
       17. The oral care implement according to  claim 15  wherein an axial force in a direction away from the body is required to transition the elastomeric element from the collapsed state to the normal state.